High-End Tools for the Coffee Snob

Published August 28, 2018 04:29PM

On The Road

This travel mug is the gold standard of travel mugs – and trust us, we’ve tried a lot of mugs. It keeps cold up to 24 hours and hot up to six hours, but the real standout feature is the design. It’s the perfect size for a tall cup of joe, and the lid can rotate for sipping or to slide in a straw. Plus, we love that only the stainless steel interior comes in contact with the liquid, so there’s no concern about harmful materials leaching into your drink. A straw isn’t included, but we suggest purchasing glass straws for use with the mug. $26, zokuhome.com

Hot Off The Press

In the market for a French press? Consider going for a stainless steel model over glass – unlike glass, a stainless steel press is sturdier and keeps coffee hot for longer. We found this sleek model simple to use, and, of course, it passed the ultimate test: It made an outstanding cup of coffee with a lovely foam that’s indicative of a high-quality model. $50, williams-sonoma.com

Take A Shot

For the serious coffee aficionado, this stylish, retro-looking model brews single and double shots of espresso and froths thick foam for cappuccino – while keeping a fairly small footprint on your countertop. It features a thermoblock system for quicker heating, which translates to a quicker brew when you’re rushing to get out the door in the morning. $450, smegusa.com

Daily Grind

You might be thinking this is a hefty price tag for a grinder, but hear us out: While a blade grinder might be more budget friendly, it uses a metal blade to cut the beans – a process that tends to yield an inconsistently sized grind. A burr grinder, such as this one, rubs the beans between two stainless steel cutting burrs for a more even grind, yielding a richer cup of coffee. This model wowed our editors; it requires almost no assembly and is intuitive to use. It offers 15 levels of grind, which includes six half increments and settings for French press, drip and espresso. $330, kitchenaid.com

There’s only one thing better than a rich, freshly brewed cup of coffee: a freshly brewed cup of coffee with thick and foamy froth! Admittedly, an automatic milk frother seemed like a luxury to us – until we started researching this story and realized how much we were saving by making our own beverages at home. This model works through induction heating, comes with both cappuccino and latte disks, and has a dishwasher-safe jug. $130, breville.com

Full Of Beans

Fragrant, delicious coffee always begins with fresh beans. This BPA-free container has an ultraviolet light filter and seals airtight at the press of a button in order to protect the essential oils in the beans, which in turn, protects their delicate flavor. The cover comes apart for easier cleaning – just make sure all the parts are completely dry before putting it back together. $20, oxo.com